‘The sheriff’s deputy has been here asking questions. Of all of us!’
‘Well, so he must, what is there in that? And what, of all people, could you tell him?’ The implied scorn did not escape her; that would change, and soon.
‘I could have told what he asked me,’ she spat, bitter and low, ‘where you were all night on Monday. But could I? Do I even know? I know what I believed then, but why should I go on believing it? A man who was out of his bed and loose in the town that night may not have been bustling to another woman’s bed after all - he could have been battering Baldwin Peche over the head and throwing him into the river! That’s what they are thinking. And now what am I to believe? Bad enough if you left me to go to that woman while her husband’s away - oh, yes, I was there, do you remember when she told you, all nods and winks, the shameless whore! - that he was bound away for several days! But how do I know now that that’s what you were about?’
Daniel was gaping at her, white-faced and aghast, and gripping her hand as if his senses at that moment had no other anchor. ‘Dear God, they can’t think that! You can’t believe that of me? You know me better...‘
‘I don’t know you at all! You pay me no attention, you’re nothing but a stranger to me, you steal out at night and leave me in tears, and what do you care?’
‘Oh, God!’ babbled Daniel in a frantic whisper, ‘What am I to do? And you told him? You told him I went out - the whole night?’
‘No, I did not. I’m a loyal wife, if you’re no proper husband to me. I told him you were with me, that you never left my side.’
Daniel drew breath deep, gawping at her in idiot relief, and began to smile, and jerk out praise and thanks incoherently while he wrung her hand, but Margery measured out her moment like a fencer, and struck the grin ruthlessly from his face.
‘But he knows it is not true.’
‘What?’ He collapsed again into terror. ‘But how can he? If you told him I was with you...‘
‘I did. I’ve perjured myself for you and all to no purpose. I gave nothing away, though God knows I owe you nothing. I put my soul in peril to save you from trouble! And then he tells me smoothly that there’s a witness who saw you sneak out that night and has the hour right, too, so never think this was a trick. There is such a witness. You’re known to have been out roving in the dark the night that man was murdered.’
‘I never had ought to do with it,’ he wailed softly. ‘I told you truth...‘
‘You told me you had things to do that were no concern of mine. And everybody knows you had no love for the locksmith.’
‘Oh, God!’ moaned Daniel, gnawing his knuckles. ‘Why did I ever go near the girl? I was mad! But I swear to you, Margery, that was all, it was to Cecily I went... and never again, never! Oh, girl, help me... what am I to do?’
‘There’s only one thing you can do,’ she said forcefully. ‘If that’s truly where you were, you must go to this woman, and get her to speak up for you, as she ought. Surely she’ll tell the truth, for your sake, and then the sheriff’s men will let you alone. And I’ll confess that I lied. I’ll say it was for shame of being so slighted, though it was truly for love of you - however little you deserve it.’
‘I will!’ breathed Daniel, weak with fear and hope and gratitude all mingled, and stroking and caressing her hand as he had never done before. I’ll go to her and ask her. And never see her again, I promise you, I swear to you, Margery.’
‘Go after dinner,’ said Margery, securely in the ascendancy, ‘for you must come and eat and put a good face on it. You can, you must. No one else knows of this, no one but I, and I’ll stand by you whatever it cost me.’
Mistress Cecily Corde did not brighten or bridle at the sight of her lover creeping in at the back door of her house early in the afternoon. She scowled as blackly as so golden a young woman could, hauled him hastily into a closed chamber where they could not possible be overlooked by her maidservant, and demanded of him, before he had even got his breath back, what he thought he was doing there in broad daylight, and with the sheriff’s men about the town as well as the usual loiterers and gossips. In a great, gasping outpour Daniel told her what he was about, and why, and what he needed, entreated, must have from her, avowal that he had spent Monday night with her from nine of the evening until half an hour before dawn. His peace of mind, his safety, perhaps his life, hung on her witness. She could not deny him, after all they had meant to each other, all he had given her, all they had shared.
Once she had grasped what he was asking of her, Cecily disengaged violently from the embrace she had permitted as soon as the door was closed, and heaved him off in a passion of indignation.
‘Are you mad? Throw my good name to the four winds to save your skin? I’ll do no such thing, the very idea of asking it of me! You should be ashamed! Tomorrow or the next day my man will be home, and very well you know it. You would not have come near me now, if you had any thought for me. And like this, in daylight, with the streets full! You’d better go, quickly, get away from here.’
Daniel clung, aghast, unable to believe in such a reception. ‘Cecily, it may be my life! I must tell them...‘
‘If you dare,’ she hissed, backing violently out of his desperate attempt at an embrace, ‘I shall deny it. I shall swear that you lie, that you’ve pestered me, and I’ve never encouraged you. I mean it! Dare mention my name and I’ll brand you liar, and bring witness enough to bear me out. Now go, go, I never want to see you again!’
Daniel fled back to Margery. She had the shrewd sense to be watching for him, having known very well what his reception must be, and spirited him competently away to their own chamber where, if they kept their voices down, they could not be heard. Dame Juliana, next door, slept in the afternoon and slept soundly. Their private business was safe from her.
In agitated whispers he poured out everything though he was telling her nothing she did not already know. She judged it time to soften against his shoulder, while keeping the mastery firmly in her own hands. He had been shocked out of his male complacency, and almost out of his skin, she felt pity and affection for him, but that was a luxury she could not yet afford.
‘Listen, we’ll go together. You have a confession to make, but so have I. We’ll not wait for the Lord Beringar to come to us, we’ll go to him. I’ll own that I lied to him, that you left me alone all that night, knowing you were gone to a paramour. You’ll tell him the same. I shall not know her name. And you will refuse to give it. You must say she is a married woman, and it would be her ruin. He’ll respect you for it. And we’ll say that we start anew, from this hour.’
She had him in her hand. He would go with her, he would swear to whatever she said. They would start anew from that hour; and she would be holding the reins.
In bed that night she clasped a devout, grateful husband, who could not fawn on her enough. Whether Hugh Beringar had believed their testimony or not, he had received it with gravity, and sent them away solemnly admonished but feeling themselves delivered. A Daniel eased of all fear that the eye of the law was turned ominously upon him would sit still where a hand could be laid on him at any moment.
‘It’s over,’ Margery assured him, fast in his arms, and surprisingly contented there, considering all things. ‘I’m sure you need not trouble any more. No one believes you ever harmed the man. I’ll stand with you, and we have nothing to fear.’
‘Oh, Margery, what should I have done without you?’ He was drifting blissfully towards sleep, after extreme fear and the release of correspondingly great pleasure. Never before had he felt such devotional fervour, even to his mistresses. This might have been said to be his true wedding night. ‘You’re a good girl, loyal and true...‘